Don't Scream! Read Online Free PDF Page A

wildly.
    â€œG-get some ice,” he stuttered. “My hands are scorched. Totally scorched. Look. Is the skin blistered?”
    I grabbed one hand gently. It was flaming red. But I didn’t see any open blisters. No blood or anything.
    â€œI’ll be right back,” I told him. “My dad has frozen gel-packs in the freezer. He uses them on his knees after he runs.”
    I stood up. I took a few steps toward the doorway.
    Laughter rang out. The girl’s laughter. Her laugh was cold and sharp as icicles.
    â€œI warned you guys,” she said. Her voice rose from the melted game-player. “Now maybe you’ll believe I’m here to stay.”
    â€œWho are you?” I demanded. “How did you move from the phone to the game-player?”
    Eli sat on the floor, blowing on his hands. He shook his head sadly.
    â€œI don’t have to answer your questions,” the girl replied. “Best friends don’t ask questions.”
    â€œStop saying that!” I cried. “I’m not your best friend.”
    â€œYes, you are,” she replied in her whispery voice. “You’re my best friend, Jack. And you’re going to help me.”
    â€œHelp you?” I said. “Help you do
what
?”
    â€œOkay, I’ll tell you,” she said. “Listen carefully. I —”
    Before she could say another word, my dad strode into the room.
    Dad is a big guy. He played football in college. He was a defensive tackle. He would have made it to the NFL, but his knees were bad.
    He keeps fit. He runs every day and works out on gym equipment in the basement. He has a reddish face and bright blue eyes. His hair is sandy brown, but it’s thinning on top. He jokes that he’s growing his forehead.
    â€œHey, Jack,” he said. “I just got home. Time for dinner. Does Eli want to stay?”
    I started to answer.
    But Dad’s eyes stopped on the sizzling game-player on the carpet.
    â€œWhat’s that mess?” he cried. He stepped closer and gazed down at it. “Eli? What happened to your game-player?”
    â€œUh … it kind of blew up,” Eli replied.
    â€œThose things shouldn’t overheat like that,” Dad said. “That could be very dangerous.”
    Shaking his head, he started to the stairs. “Are you two coming down?” he asked.
    â€œComing!” I said. I grabbed Eli. “Let’s go.”
    Eli started to walk with me. Then he turned back to the game-player. “What about her?”
    â€œLeave her there,” I said. “We’ll figure out something later.”
    â€œNo, you won’t,” she said. “I’ll be here when you get back, Jack. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here forever and ever.”

14
    I tried to concentrate on my dinner, but I didn’t have much appetite.
    Mom made her famous pot roast, which is Eli’s favorite. But I saw him pushing the food around on his plate just like me.
    Dad was talking about an old friend he met while jogging in the park that morning. Mom kept watching Eli and me. Rachel shoveled pot roast into her mouth.
    â€œYou boys aren’t eating,” she said. “Is something wrong with the pot roast?”
    â€œNo. No way,” we both answered.
    I took a big forkful of meat. I chewed it a long time. It was hard to swallow. I couldn’t stop thinking about the girl in Eli’s game-player. And it made my throat tight.
    â€œWhy do we need a flat screen TV?” I heard Mom ask.
    Dad shrugged his big shoulders. “We are the last family in America not to own one,” he said.“Don’t you want to be able to watch TV in high-def?”
    â€œNo,” Mom said. “What’s the big deal about high-def?”
    Dad sighed. He has always wanted a high-def TV. But Mom wouldn’t let him buy one.
    Mom didn’t care about that stuff at all. She liked to sit in the den, listen to the jazz station on the